“Highly Conflicting” Two NC State Key Experienced basketball players no longer with program
N.C. State men’s basketball players have left the team, as confirmed by a school representative on Tuesday. Neither the university nor the athletes have publicly disclosed the specific reasons for their departures.
Rice, hailing from Henderson, North Carolina, still includes NC State basketball in his Instagram bio, but his X (formerly Twitter) account has been removed.
On the other hand, Ross, originally from Florida, had entered the transfer portal in April and committed to UTSA on May 11, only to announce four days later that he would be returning to N.C. State.
During his three seasons with the Wolfpack, Ross averaged 2.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game. He totaled 145 points and 114 rebounds, appearing in 14 games last season and making two field goals.
Rice transferred to N.C. State last season after spending his freshman year at Kansas. He played in nine games for the Wolfpack, averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
He started the season after a personal leave of absence but was later announced to sit out the remainder of the season in January.
Both players missed the deadline to enter the Division I transfer portal, meaning they would need to apply for an NCAA waiver to transfer to another DI institution.
With their departures, the program has one scholarship remaining, and several players are set to return for the 2024-25 season, with additional transfers and incoming freshmen joining the team.
This comes after the Wolfpack lost six other players during the offseason via transfer portal entries and the conclusion of collegiate eligibility, along with one player entering the NBA Draft.
